The District is giving away a wonderful book titled “Range Plants of North Central Texas – A Land User’s Guide to Their Identification, Value and Management” written by Ricky J. Linex, as a thank you to those who donate $25 or more to the Parker County SWCD in support of the District’s conservation efforts.

Easy to use and beautifully written, the guide is full of colorful pictures of plants and their seeds. This is a great resource for anyone who would like to identify plants growing on their property.

Rain Barrels​

All year round, we offer rain barrels for water harvesting, made from food grade recycled containers. Once ordered they are delivered to your door!

Rain barrels with various attachments are available all year long, but now is the time to start storing water for your gardening needs next summer.

And the good news just keeps coming – RAIN WATER HARVESTING EQUIPMENT AND RAIN BARRELS ARE TAX EXEMPT!

Planting will be a breeze with the District’s Brillion Grass Seed Drill or Turbo Spreader Seeder!

For landowners who enjoy working on their own land, the District’s Brillion Grass Seed Drill will make planting or over seeding or pastures a breeze. The seeder is 10 ft. wide, 12 ft. wide with wheels on the ground for transport. The seeder requires a tractor equipped with rare hydraulics to raise and lower the wheels for transport (a 3 point linkage). A copy of the Operator’s Manual will be provided at the time the equipment is picked up.

The District charges $5 an acre and a day charge of $25 for up to 30 acres. An acreage meter on the seeder will keep count of the acres seeded, brushes in the fluffy seed box help push out the smaller seeds, while the slick seed box has an agitator to help move the seed along. Fillers may need to be used for bulk. A $50 deposit is required at the time the Equipment Rental Agreement is signed.

The seeder should only be used on a clean, firm seedbed free of stumps and rocks of any size. If the seedbed is too wet or crusty, the grass seed rollers will “ball up”, so the firmer the seedbed the better the stand of grass. A good rule of thumb – you should barely leave a footprint when walking across the field. Some people firm the seedbed by rolling it before planting, while others plant the seed then roll the seedbed. Both ways work in establishing a crop. Turner seed in Breckenridge recommends rolling the seedbed before planting, but they feel it is better to roll the field before seeding and again after seeding. The seeder drops the seed on the ground and the rollers press it into a ½” before covering it up. Good seed/soil contact is very important.

For areas not suitable for seeding with the grass seed drill, the District also rents out a turbo Spreader Seeder. The rental cost is a $50 deposit and $25 per day fee due at the time of rental (Day fee is for how long the spreader is kept).

A copy of the Operator’s Manual will be provided. The heavy duty spreader fits on the back of a tractor (a 3 point linkage) and distributes seed at a uniform rate in a 10 ft. strip. 3 Point hitch pins are NOT provided. Excellent for small acreages or for seeding hard to get to areas in small pastures, the Turbo Spreader is considered an ideal solution.

Absolutely no fertilizer used in spreader, and do not use if safety shield over driveline is missing! Attach driveline safety chains correctly; flopping will throw them out or off. Read operator’s manual and Safety booklet before use.

And don’t forget safety. When transporting farm equipment keep a watchful eye on traffic coming up behind as farm equipment travels at a slower mph than normal driving. As an example, the District’s seeder is pulled at a rate of no more than 30 miles per hour. Also never drive with one wheel on the road and the other on the shoulder as it could increase you changes of an accident.

Also, there are thousands of farm related injuries reported each year. Agricultural activities require lots of outside work; it includes tough and sometimes intense manual labor, often in extreme temperatures. So when using any equipment on site, watch out for uneven areas as well as animals that could appear suddenly from surprising places. Wear proper clothing and never operate farm equipment when sick, medicines could slow reaction time if something unexpected occurs. And if an accident happens be prepared. Keep your cellphone close and easy to get to, let someone know where and when you will be working, and keep young children away from all equipment when in use. It is also a good idea to be proficient in CPR and first aid.

​ Texas State Soil and Water Conservation

Board to Enhance and Restore

Monarch Butterfly Habitat

Temple—The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) is working in cooperation with 143 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) located in Texas to enhance and restore the Monarch Butterfly habitat.

It is estimated that over the past 20 years the Monarch population has declined from 1 billion to less than 60 million due to a number of factors. One of the most prominent factors that has contributed to this steep population decline is the loss of habitat and food sources.

The iconic orange and black insects are dependent on nectar producing vegetation to produce energy for their annual migration from Mexico to Canada. The Monarch Caterpillar on the other hand, depends on Milkweed as a critical food source.

As a result of this decline of the Monarch Butterfly population, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) as well as the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have provided funds to enhance and restore the Monarch Butterfly habitat.

The project provides funding to develop conservation plans and plant pollinator friendly plant species on 1,600 Texas rural lands along the Monarch’s migratory pattern. The funding will be made available to farmers, ranchers or private landowners with tracts of land between 1 and 30 acres. The funds will pay $375 per acre to cover seed cost, planting and maintenance of the land. Entities such as schools or municipalities qualify for funding to develop a Monarch Butterfly garden between 100 and 300 square feet.

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the author’s and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources.

Our mailing list is sent out with information about our annual sale, along with other District events.

Contact us for further information.

Technical Assistance and Cost-Share Incentive Funding Available for Water Quality Management Plan Program

TEMPLE — The economic impact of the food and fiber sector in the state totals more than $100 billion annually. Texas leads the nation in cattle, cotton, hay, sheep, goats and mohair production. The continued success and sustainability of Texas agriculture comes from sound conservation practices. Since the 1930’s, generations of farmers and ranchers have implemented voluntary conservation practices on their land to protect the soil, water and other renewable resources.

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) administers Texas’ soil and water conservation law and delivers natural resource conservation programs through the State’s 216 local soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) and regional offices. TSSWCB is the lead agency for planning, implementing, and managing programs and practices for abating agricultural and silvicultural nonpoint source pollution.

The TSSWCB also administers technical assistance and cost-share incentive funding programs for conservation land improvements. The role of TSSWCB is vital to the natural resources of Texas due to the fact that 95% of the land in Texas is privately owned. The agency assists with voluntary conservation practices to ensure the continued viability of natural resources.

TSSWCB has a Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) Program that is delivered through the local SWCDs and assists farmers and ranchers in the development of a site-specific conservation plan. The plan includes appropriate best management practices to achieve a level of pollution prevention or abatement to be consistent with state water quality standards.

To obtain a WQMP visit your local SWCD to request planning assistance. The SWCD will then work with the TSSWCB Regional Office to provide technical input and develop a plan that best suits the landowner’s needs.

The process of developing a WQMP entails using science based knowledge and tools to help landowners select an appropriate combination of conservation practices to meet the individual’s management goals and objectives. An inventory of the soils, water, plants, animals and physical structures is also taken at this time to expand the depth of the plan.

Once the plan is complete and the landowner approves, the SWCD will formalize an agreement and then the implementation process can begin.